Had the chance to visit for a Jacksonville Chamber event, and experiencing the Arboretum at night…read morewas such a unique treat. The staff and volunteers were incredibly welcoming and did a great job hosting. The grounds are beautiful, peaceful, and such a great reminder of what a special outdoor space this is for the community. It was the perfect setting for an evening event and a great way to experience the gardens in a different light. If you haven't been yet, definitely check it out and support this local gem!

I been here several times over the years. This year I purchased a membership because there are a…read morelarge group of Pokemon players that meet there once or twice a month. They invite everyone to join them. It's also great place to meetup with friends and enjoy a walk on one or more trails. All the trails are covered by trees. If it rains a lot at least one of the trails is impassable but you still have other choices. Pros: * Lots of trails to choose from with lots of different levels of difficulty * A nice size picnic area - approximately 8 tables available * A couple of small gazebos (in case it rains) * A nice assortment of plants along the paved walking area * A nice Christmas event Cons: * limited restrooms - available only at the front entrance and sometime the men's needs maintenance

Spent the day at Anastasia State Park and it really delivered. The beach was beautiful with soft…read moresand and plenty of space to spread out. It was definitely windy, but honestly it didn't take away from the experience at all. If anything it made the waves more fun to watch and kept things from getting too hot. The playground was a big hit with the kids. They had a great time running around and burning off energy while we relaxed nearby. It's one of those spots where both adults and kids can enjoy themselves without feeling cramped or bored. Between the scenery, the clean beach, and the family friendly setup, this is an easy five star stop. Would come back again without thinking twice.

Anastasia State Park is really a beautiful campground! Spaces are very spacious and secluded…read more Each campsite has water and electrical. A dump site is there for you. You can also tent here. You can come in to the park for day visits to go to the beach and BBQ under the oak trees. Very nice! There are some nice trails as well to experience. We went on the ancient trail that was hilly for Florida . An amazing experience! This park is extremely popular so plan ahead!

We wanted to walk on a quiet beach along the drive from St Augustine back up to Jacksonville. We…read morestopped at the North Beach of the Guana River Preserve. There is a parking lot on the west side of the road (the fee is $3.00, and there is a crosswalk over to the beach on the east side). This is the location where Ponce de Leon supposedly first identified Florida as a land mass and not just an island. There were a few people out on the beach, walking or looking for shells. It was a sunny day in January, with temps in the high 50's. I loved that it was not crowded or commercial. There are no services other than a parking lot and two (well-maintained porta potties). It was exactly what I wanted.

Small state park. $3.65 for all day parking access. Trails are available as well as fishing and…read moresome water sports. You can rent paddle boards and the water was super calm for trying your hand at it. Wildlife on trails. Saw an armadillo a few times, lots of lizards, birds, and lots of bugs. Great for bike riding too.

Hidden gem! We loved swimming and my boys enjoyed climbing the palm tree…read more We did a short trail and saw plants and bugs! We had a picnic at a table but moved to the sun because the boys were cold.

One of my favorite springs. All the wildlife, the 72 degree year round water. Feels so good on a…read morehot summer. Only bad thing is that they charge $15 a person. Used to be $5 a person. During the busy season you have to make reservations

Such a great place to visit & spend time if you are looking to refresh your soul, heart, spirit,…read moreand mind! My favorite part: Little Lake Johnson! It was clean, tranquil, beautiful, and peaceful! We chose the day pass option - only $5 per vehicle (up to eight people per vehicle)! In the future, we're looking forward to renting one of the cabins!

Really well-maintained park. There are a lot of good walking areas and trails. The rec center has…read moreclean bathrooms and a playground. There's also a bunch of picnic tables. It's nice and spread out. We took our two dogs and they did really well with these trails. Definitely a nice area!

Springtime in the park! Spectacular, azaleas in full bloom. This is the best time to visit.read more

Absolutely stunning spot for spending a nice day strolling around the gardens and learning the…read morehistory of this area. They allow fishing, and we met a couple of characters today for sure. Artists were painting and creating their masterpieces as well. Azaleas are in bloom and the roses will be very soon. Love this spot for a photo shoot or they also do weddings here as well. Worth the drive from any direction!

This place is fantastic! It's way, way off the main street! You literally go down a dirt drive (…read morewhich was very well maintained) maybe 2 miles back then reach just a gorgeous natural area right on the water! Beautiful trees and water! It's nice and clean and seems to be very well taken care of, I think you can camp here also.

My spouse found this spot for us to take our dogs, and I'm so, so glad he did…read more Expect lots of elbow room to explore as well as Spanish moss on the trees. It's a magical spot to picnic and get your steps in.

Live this scenic drive. It went through a lot water front parks and ended at a trees lining road…read more Very beautiful

Breathtaking views. From old beautiful trees to highways w covered green branches for miles to a…read morespectacular ocean view. The whole loop is longer than 10 miles and several people will probably try to zoom past, I suggest pulling over and letting them pass so you can enjoy all it has to offer. Also some amazing houses both on the ocean and the Halifax river to see. Overall it's a good day. And there are more than 1 state parks you can detour off on if you like.

It was shaded along the way. There were minimal tree roots, making it easy to push a stroller over…read more There are different marked paths along the way. We went to the beach at the end of the 1 mile hike and walked the beach, looking for shells, watching crabs scramble by, and enjoying the views. It is well maintained by maintenance crews, and there are several picnic benches at the beach. It was hot on the way back, but there was a restroom at the beginning of the trail and a pavilion with benches. There was plenty of parking, no crowds, and places to fish, kayak, paddle board, and boat.

Amy helped us by giving us an overview of the work the center does and answering our questions…read more She was incredibly friendly and informative! She clearly loves her work. The visitor's center is beautiful and interesting. Our eight year old was engaged by the exhibits and live animals. We did the yellow hike, which was perfect for a July morning. We saw tortoise and many different types of birds and enjoyed looking at crabs along the waterline. Really cool experience. I highly recommend!

Such a fun time last night at Camp Chowenwaw!…read more We stayed in one of the treehouses, number 5 to be specific. There was so much wildlife to be heard throughout the night including owls, woodpeckers, and what we think were crickets or maybe lubbers. The bathrooms and shower areas were very clean for a park/camping area. There are different trails to explore along the path to the treehouses, which we didn't have a chance to do. We suggest bringing a sheet or blanket to cover your mattresses. Each treehouse has 2 twin sized bunk beds (total of 4 mattresses). They are VERY uncomfortable, so if you need extra support, you should probably bring a mattress topper/padding. The grills were pretty clean, just need some dusting off before cooking, though, nothing out of the ordinary. Upkeep for everything was great!

Ever slept in a tree house cabin? If you are interested in camping, picnicking, kayaking,…read morecanoeing, swimming, fishing, bird watching, wildlife viewing, outdoor photography, and hiking--Camp Chowenwaw Park is the place to go! Their trail systems through the uplands and the wetlands offer scenic tracts for the hiking enthusiast. Camping facilities include 15 tent sites, two lodges with bunk beds sleeping 16 people per cabin, 9 tree house cabins, each accommodating 4 people, and 7 cabins with bunk beds sleeping 4 - 8 people. Each campsite has a bathhouse with full restroom accommodations and a unit house with electricity including a stove and refrigerator. Located throughout the park and at each campsite are picnic tables and grills for use by campers and park visitors. Just note: Vehicle access is limited & all camping sites and cabins are accessed by walking trails. The park is ideally suited as a natural outdoor environmental education facility when you consider the setting, location, and proximity of diverse upland and wetland ecosystems. Classes and naturalist programs for organized groups and the public will be available in outdoor and indoor classrooms. This is one magical place off the beaten path where you can still interact with wildlife, get a little exercise, enjoy nature, explore the unknown, cool off in the water and at the end of the day, sleep in a tree and still be close to home! How can you not love that?!!